The Path of Duty, and Other Stories eBook

to a lady passing in the street, saying, “there,
Sir, is the young lady from whom I purchased the ring.”
He waited to hear no more, but, stepping hastily into
the street, followed the lady at a respectful distance;
but never losing sight of her for a moment till she
entered her home two streets distant from the shop
of the jeweller. He approached the door and rang
the bell. The door was opened by the same young
lady, whose manner exhibited not a little embarrassment,
when she beheld a total stranger; and he began to
feel himself in an awkward position. He was at
a loss how to address her till, recollecting that he
must explain his visit in some way, he said:
“Pardon the intrusion of a stranger; but, by
your permission, I would like to enter the house, and
have a word of conversation with you.”
The young girl regarded the man earnestly for a moment;
but his manner was so gentlemanly and deferential that
she could do no less than invite him to enter the
little sitting-room where her mother was at work,
and ask him to be seated. He bowed to Mrs. Harris
on entering the room, then seating himself he addressed
the young lady, saying: “The peculiar circumstances
in which I am placed must serve as my apology for
asking you a question which you may consider impertinent.
Are you the young lady who, some months since, sold
a diamond ring to a jeweller on Grafton street?”
Mrs. Harris raised her eyes to the stranger’s
face, and the proud English blood which flowed in
her veins mantled her cheek as she replied, “before
I permit my daughter to answer the questions of a
stranger, you will be so kind as to explain your right
to question.” The stranger sprang from his
seat at the sound of her voice, and exclaimed, in
a voice tremulous from emotion, “don’t
you know me Eliza, I am your long lost brother George.”
The reader will, doubtless, be better able to imagine
the scene which followed, than I am to describe it.
Everything was soon explained, many letters had been
sent which never reached their destination; he knew
not that his sister had left England, and after writing
again and again, and receiving no reply, he ceased
altogether from writing. During the first years
of his sojourn in California, he was unfortunate,
and was several times brought to the brink of the
grave by sickness. After a time fortune smiled
upon his efforts, till he at length grew immensely
rich, and finally left the burning skies of California
to return to England. He landed at New York and
intended, after visiting the Canadas, to sail for England.
The brother and sister had parted in their early youth,
and it is no wonder that they failed to recognize
each other when each had passed middle age. The
brother was most changed of the two. His complexion
had grown very dark, and he had such a foreign look
that, when convinced of the fact, Mrs. Harris could
hardly believe him to be one and the same with the
stripling brother from whom she parted in England so
many years ago. He was, of course, not aware